Week 10: Infertility and pregnancy loss Flashcards
Define infertility
Failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of regular, unprotected intercourse or due to a person’s capacity to reproduce either as an individual or with their partner (irregular period, tubal surgery, no access to sperm/ovaries/uterus)
Evaluation for causes of infertility should be done when?
-Woman is 35yr+: evaluation should begin after 6 months of attempts
-Woman is 40+ or has a known impairment: immediately
Rank the non-genetic causes of infertility for couples from most to least common:
Unexplained
Ovulatory dysfunction
Tubal/pelvic pathology
Unusual problems
Male problems
- Male problems (35%) and tubal/pelvic pathology (35%)
- Ovulatory dysfunction (15%)
- Unexplained infertility (10%)
- Unusual problems
Rank the non-genetic causes of infertility for women from most to least common:
Unexplained
Tubal/pelvic pathology
Ovulatory dysfunction
Unusual problems
- Tubal/pelvic pathology (40%) and ovulatory dysfunction (40%)
- Unexplained (10%) and unusual problems (10%)
About how many eggs are women born with? About how many are left by puberty?
Start with ~1-2 million
~300-400K left by puberty
What tests are completed to assess ovarian reserve?
3 blood tests and a vaginal US:
-Anti-Mullerian hormone
-Day 3 FSH
-Day 3 estradiol
-Antral follicle count (AFC)
A higher AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone) means what?
A greater number of eggs left/higher ovarian reserve
Anovulation means what?
Irregular menstrual cycles or not ovulating
A normal menstrual cycle is how long?
21-35 days
What can be used to track ovulation? What is this test measuring?
Ovulation predictor kits (OPKs)
These kits measure LH level
What is the most common cause of anovulation?
PCOS
What is a tubal factor that can contribute to infertility?
Dilated tubes
-Not good
-Can put pressure on cilia which is important for egg movement from ovary to tube
-Typically recommended to remove dilated tubes
What are some uterine factors that can contribute to infertility?
-Submucosal fibroid
-Uterine polyps
-Interuterine adhesions: caused by infection or surgery/miscarriage which makes prone to scar tissue, surgery to remove
Name and explain male factors that contribute to infertility?
-Genetic
-Anatomic: varicoceles, previous surgeries
-Hormonal: low testosterone, high FSH
-Lifestyle factors: smoking cigs, alcohol intake, illicit drugs, obesity, psychological stress, APA, diet, caffeine intake
Name 5 infertility treatment options
- Ovulation induction
- IUI
- IVF with or without PGT
- Donor egg, sperm, embryo
- Gestational carrier
What two ARTs are considered “third party reproduction”?
-Donor egg, sperm, embryo
-Gestational carrier
Describe ovulation induction
-Use of medications that trick brain into producing FSH and boost ovulation (greater possibility for multiples)
-Meds include clomiphene citrate and Letrozole
-Injectable gonadotropins (stimulate ovaries)
-Trigger ovulation with hCG: body thinks that it’s the same as LH due to similar structure of protein and hCG has longer half life vs LH so can be more effective
Describe IUI
-Trouble getting sperms to swimming pool
-Sperm are washed and then placed into the uterus using a catheter
Describe IVF
-Embryos are created outside the body in lab
-Stimulation with injectable gonadotropins (FSH and LH)
-Oocyte retrieval
-Fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
-Embryo transfer
Define recurrent pregnancy loss
-The spontaneous loss of 2+ pregnancies
-Estimated that fewer than 5% of women will experience 2 consecutive losses and only 1% experience 3+
List 3 non genetic causes of RPL
- Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)
- Anatomic
- Hormonal/metabolic